Battling Blue Jays @ Maddoning Rays 9/23-9/25

[Tobywan]

Battling Blue Jays @ Maddoning Rays 9/23-9/25


Probables

Morrow VS Price
Romero VS Niemann
Cecil VS Davis

The Jays are playing for pride and spoiling the Rays are playing for an improbable chance to play in October.


Tonight’s Match-ups

Brandon Morrow allowed just 4 hits and struck out 8 in 8 scoreless innings of pitching in his last start against the Yanks.

David Price was pitching very well in Boston on Sunday when he was beaned squarely in the chest with a line drive. He struck out a team record 14 batters in his last outing against the Jays.

[Tobywan]

The Jay s got off to an early lead last night on two costly throwing errors from Price and Morrow did the rest when he struck out 9 and kept the Rays scoreless through 7 innings.

Adam Lind had to turn around and leave the team just after an early arrival on Friday when his wife went into early labor.

The Rays need every win, the Sox/Yanks were rained out last night and the Sox are losing to NY 9-1 in the 8th. They will play a double header tomorrow. The Angels are hosting the A’s with 9 EST start.

Tonight’s Match-ups

Ricky Romero is 7-1 with a 2.78 ERA since the beginning of August and has thrown quality starts in 24 of his 31 outings this year. Romero has pitched at least six innings in 12 straight games.

Jeff Niemann held the Red Sox to two runs on three hits and two walks in five innings Saturday to earn his 11th win of the season. His last start in NY was puched back dur to back soreness.

There is no local TV airing the game tonight the broadcast on MLB Network.

[Tobywan]

Line-ups

Jays

McCoy SS
Thames LF
Bautista RF
Johnson 2B
Encarnacion 3B
Rasmus CF
Cooper 1B
Arencibia C
Loewen DH


Rays


Jennings LF
Upton CF
Longoria 3B
Zobrist 2B
Damon DH
Rodriguez SS
Kotchman 1B
Joyce RF
Lobaton C

[Tobywan]

Niemann already in trouble, giving up a 2 run homer to Bombtista(#43) in the first. The inning is still going with 2 on and action in the BP.

[Tobywan]

Jays now making the errors, bad throw to first scores one, 3 stooges in the outfield ties the game.

[Tobywan]

Niemann has been pulled, Alex Torres will try to eat up some innings.

[Tobywan]

Zobrist hits his 18th homer of the year to put the Rays up 3-2 in th 4th.

[Tobywan]

Kind of surprised Matt Joyce wasn't thrown out on the bad call at first at the end of the 4th, he threw his helmet down, but he was safe.

[Tobywan]

Johnny Damon launches a 3 run homer to right off a tired and frustrated Ricky Romero in the 8th, Rays lead 6-2.

[Tobywan]

Farnsworth closes it out, Rays win 6-2.

[Tobywan]

Today’s Match-ups


Brett Cecil allowed four runs in three innings during his last start against the Angels in his shortest start since June of 2009. He has allowed at least four runs in four of his past five starts.

Wade Davis gave up five runs in 4 2/3 innings Tuesday against the Yankees in his 10th loss of the season. Davis took the loss in his last outing against the Jay in August giving up 6 runs in just 4 1/3rd.


Worth noting

Jose Bautista has reached base safely in 132 of his 144 games.


The Rays are 13-10 this month and looking for their fist winning September in Club history.


With the win last night and the loss by the Red Sox they are sitting 1.5 games back, the Sox have a double header today in the Bronx. The Angels won on Sat. night and are 2.5 games back.

[Tobywan]

Rays win 5-2, Sox lose first game 6-2.